RI Weather Forecast: Heavy Rain, Thunderstorms Inbound

It's a great day to be outside, and some wonderful weekend beach weather awaits us. But first we'll have to deal with some much-needed heavy rain, along with some potential thunderstorms.

The National Weather Service has issued a hazardous weather outlook for the entire state. The heavy stuff won't come until overnight, and the major concern is for Thursday. "Heavy rain associated with showers and embedded thunderstorms could yield urban and poor drainage flooding, especially in the typically prone locations," the NWS wrote.

You'll very possibly be asleep when the bad weather starts. The worst of it will come during the morning commute. You can see the simulated radar from the NWS below:

The rain will be welcome for much of the region, which is falling short of what's expected for June.

The rain will last throughout Thursday, tapering off late at night. Consider the day a total washout for your outdoor plans.

A borderline heat wave will follow the rain, with Friday kicking off a string of days well over 80 degrees. The Weather Channel says this weekend into Monday will be in the 90s - perfect for the beach.